THE RECENT FLOODS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1508, 20 May 1886, Page 1

THE RECENT FLOODS.

Wellington, May 17. The gale on Sunday did but little damage in town, except uprooting of trees and dislodging chimney pots. With the exception of one or two amall yachta being sunk, the shipping escaped. The Hutt railway line was in one pnrt washed away for about 30 yards, leaving the •leepers suspended for a considerable disan either side of the break. The wall was also undermined and tunnelled by the sea, rendering it precarious for probably 100 yards. In consequence of obstructions it was necespary to send out a train from town to which the Petano and Hutt pisßengers could be transferred at the breach, and the same system waa continued during the day. The Hutt river waa a good deal fcwollen last night, but was not in heavy flood. Some damage has, however, been done near Belmont. An elderly settler named John Pringle resided by himself in a small wooden house close to the river bank. At daylight this morning it was observed by the neighboring settlera that the house bad disappeared, and the old man was standing on a small patch of ground cut off from the mainland by the river having made * fresh liranch. Various efforts were maHe. to rescue hmi from his ditnworoiis position, hut it was not until ha-'f-p frt 8 (.'cock that a lad on hur*tsb-<oJ<-Itsfid'psr ar.<t!ur horse mwiago 1 to swim across and Lrir.jj; him off. At Mastertm. heavy rains inv>» fa'ien since midnight en Suuiday. The railway bridge at Waingara is dangerous, the southward piers being looseoed, and tnflic in stopped. The nearly completed bridge at Waiutnoru and all the scaffolding has been washed away. The washed over the Opaki culverts, which were bur»t up. The roads are impassable. The weather cleared up this morning, the rain ! ceasing and the wind deoreaajiig.

Christchuboh, May 18. The Mayor bos received numerous applications for relief from sufforers by the late floods, It is estimated that th« damage to (be roads in Lyttelton con be repaired at a cost of £IBO. During, the storm the premises of Mr Cowlin, at Governor's Bay, were destroyed by on* of the creeks coursirjg down the bill side becoming diverted from its course. The house was cnmhed to theground, and its inmates—Mr nnd Cowlin and their invalid daughter—escaped through a broken window. The daughter had to be drugged out in her night dress, and : carritd several miles through the rain. She is in a precarioui condition.